The Marine Biological Association was formed in 1884
and Plymouth was chosen as the site for its laboratory and aquarium because
of its rich flora and fauna. They readily accepted the site under the
Royal Citadel offered by the War Department as it was possible to
maintain direct salt-water contact.

Construction of the building commenced in 1887 and the world renowned headquarters of the Association
was opened on Saturday June 30th 1888 by Professor (later Sir) W H Flower
(1831-1899), director of the Natural History Museum and president of the
Zoological Society. The ceremony was also attended by the Prime Warden of
the Fishmongers' Company, Sir James Clarke Lawrence, a past Lord Mayor of
London, as well as Mr Robert Bayly and
Mr John Bayly, of Plymouth, both governors of the Association. After
the ceremony a luncheon was held at the Grand Hotel.

At that time there were 80
trawlers working from Plymouth averaging 43 tons.

A tank room on the ground floor became the first
Plymouth Aquarium in 1888. It was serviced by underground reservoirs
that held up to 100,000 gallons of seawater, which was continually
being cleansed and pumped back into the tanks. Initially there was no
charge for entrance to the Aquarium on weekdays and Bank Holidays (it was
closed on Sundays, of course!) but this changed over time as its popularity
increased. Fishermen always had free entry.

The building, which was constructed of Devon
limestone, was extensively damaged during the Second World War, its position
on the seafront being rather prominent, and initially it was proposed to
await a new building rather than have this one repaired. As it was
envisaged that this plan would be a long time coming, it was eventually
decided to repair the building an reopen the Aquarium to the public.
With new specimens having been collected by the Association's own fishing
boat, the "Sabella", skippered by Captain W J Creese, and the motorboat ""Gammarus",
skippered by Mr William Searle, who had been connected with the Laboratory
for over fifty years, the Aquarium was duly reopened by the Lord Mayor of
Plymouth, Mr Isaac Foot, on November 5th 1946.

As this facility grew in popularity after the end of
the
War, it was redesigned and improved and re-opened again in June 1959.

The
Marine Biological
Association's website gives access to detailed descriptions, drawings
and photographs of the facilities that existed in the old building.

The Aquarium was closed in 1998 when the National Marine
Aquarium was opened.